Tractor wheel attachment



Feb. 2, 1932. c L 1,843,751

TRACTOR WHEEL ATTACHMENT Filed April 17, 1931 gmentoz CWeZZ PatentedFeb. 2, 1932 lsrATs new QCAMPBELL, or MANNING, IOWA TRACTOR WHEELATTACHMENT application filed. April 17,

provide an improved, quick demountable' rim I or road band adapted to beapplied to a tractor wheel to prevent the traction lugs from spade lugs11 on its periphery to provide damaging road surfaces. The mainid ea isto provide arelatively simple, sectional road band having improvedlatches on each section whereby all of the sections may be quicklyapplied to a wheel without bolts or screws.

- Other .ims ancl advantages ofthe invention will appear in thespecification, when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein: I

.,Fig. 1 is aside elevation, partly in section, showing the preferredform of road band applied to .a tractor wheel;

Fig. Qis a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line:2 2 of Fig. 1and Fig. 3 is a sectional view takenon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring particularly to the drawings, the

preferred form of road band is shown as being applied to a tractor wheel10 having open,

traction elements. Such lugs are usually arranged in one or morecircumferential rows around the rear tractor wheels and are spacediauniform. distance apart. In this instance,

- the road band is made in sections adapted to be placed on and securedto a row'of the lugs, each section being so constructed that it may efastened on the wheel or removed independently of the other sections.

In Fig. l, the road band is shown as comprising a plurality ofoverlapping, channelshaped sections 12 whose side flanges 13 are adaptedto engage the opposite sides of the lugs 11. These sections arepreferably made of fabricated sheet metal strips which may be welded orotherwise secured together, the peripheral portions or bands being bentin thetorm of an arc to engage the ends of a series of lugs on thewheel. This band portion eX- tends beyond one end of the channel flanges18 to provide an extension 14 to overlap the projecting flanges of anadjacent sections, as shown in Fig. 1. The other end of the band portionon each section'terminates' short of the beveled end of the side'flangesso that,

Fig. 2.

1931. Serial No..530,971,

when the sections are applied, the ends of the V band portions will abuteach other to form a continuous road contacting surface. However, theproecting ends of the bands may overlap the ends of the bands on theadjacent sections. The side flanges of the sections are shown as beingcut away or beveled to perwhat longer and stronger than the lugs l6= soas to withstand the traction force when the tractor is driven forwardlyor the wheel shown in Fig. 1 is turning ina clockwise direction. It willbe understood that two or more pairs of such spaced lugs 15 and 16 may Ibe applied to each band section. The number will dependlargely on thelength of the.

sections. :Adjacent to one end of each band there is shown asingle Vshaped lug 17 adapted to engage the rear face of one of .the lugs 11. Onthe forward face of each of the lugs 17 there is shown a pin 18 adaptedto be inserted in an opening'or slot inthe rear face of the spade lug.The pins thus lock the rear ends 'ofthe band sections onthe wheel lugs.p

V In thls instance, each sectlon is provided wlth a removable latch orlocking member which includesa bent lever 19 having a pair of L-shapedhooks 20 pivotal-1y connected to it intermediate its ends and adapted toengage one of the spade lugs, 11 as shownin The end of the leveradjacent to the spade lug is shown as having-a bent arm or ear 21 towhich is connected a coil spring 22 by means of a ring 23. .The rear endof the coil spring is removably'connected to the sideflanges 18 oftheband section by means of hooks 24 adapted to be inserted in openingsthrough the flanges. I The arrangement is such that, when the lever isswung do-wnwardly as viewed in Fig. 2, or laterally of the wheel, thetension on the spring is released and the lug-engaging hooks QO may beopened to disengage them from the lug 11.

' nit access toa latch for locking the sections LOO the spring undertension.

The bent portion of the lever permits the spring to retain it in lookingposition because the pivotal axis of the lug hooks lies on one side ofthe spring. By holding the lever handle at substantially right angles tothe road band of the Wheel, the hooks 20 may be gripped upon theopposite edges of the open spade lug 11 and the lever swung to itslocking position under the band sections to place Thus, one end of eachband section is resiliently locked or connected to the Wheel lugs.

In Fig. 1, a series of cleats 25 are shown as being secured to the outerperiphery of the band sections so as to afford more traction on hardsurfaced reads. These cleats may be made of sheet metal strips andsecured to the band sections either by spot Welding or by means ofbolts, rivets or the like. If desired, they may be removably secured sothat they can be replaced when they are worn.

To apply the improved band sections to a )air of tractor Wheels, onesection of each hand may be secured in place and the other sectionsapplied successively on both Wheels after the tractor is driven ahead soas to expose successive portions of the Wheels. Thus, all of the bandsections may be quickly secured to the Wheels Without using a jack andWithout any wrenches or other special tools. In fact, a-drivcr can applythe bands in a few minutes.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the band sectionscan easily be manufactured of sneet metal. The length of the sections issuch that they can be stacked together or nested so to occupy a smallstora e space. The improved locking devices can be removed from eachsection and can be appliec very easily and quickly When the sections areattached to a Wheel. More over, such bands do not interfere withordinary scrapers for keeping the traction Wheels clean and can be usedWithout removing the scrapers. Furthermore, the band sections can beapplied to spade lugs of either the hollow or solid type, it being onlynecessary to make slight alterations in solid lugs to provide forengagement of the locking hooks or members.

Obviously, the invention is not restricted to the illustrativeembodiment thereof except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: p

1. A road band for tractor Wheels hav a circumferential series of lugsco'mprisii in combination, a plurality of substantialjy channel shapedsections adapted to he slipped over the lugs; means on each sectioninterlocking with a lug; and lever-operated locking member detachablyconnected to each section at one end and removably secured to one of thelugs.

2. A road band for tractor Wheels havweaver ing a circumferential seriesof lugs comprising, in combination, a plurality of substantiallychannel-shaped sections adapted to he slipped over the lugs and eachhaving an extension overlapping the other; means on one end of eachsection interlocking with a lug; and a locking device including a leverand hook members removably secured to the other end of each section andadapted to be connected to one of the lugs.

3. A road ba-nd'for tractor Wheels having a circumferential roW of spadelugs comprising, in-combination, a plurality of channelshaped sectionspresenting flanges adapted to straddle the lugs; means at one end ofeach section positively interlocking with one of the lugs; and alever-operated latch device connected to the other end of each sectionhaving means removably to securesa-id other end to another one of saidlugs.

4:. A :oad band for tractor Wheels having a circumferential roW ofspaced lugscomprising in combination, a plurality of'channelshapedsections having flanges adapted to straddle the lugs; spaced lugs in thechannel-shaped sections adapted to straddle one of the lugs on thetractor Wheel so as to prevent the sections from slipping on the Wheel;a pin secured to one end of each section adapted to interlock with oneof the Wheel lugs; a coil spring removably secured to the other end ofeach section; and a lever0perated latch member carried by said coilspring having hooks to engage another Wheel lug Whereby each section ofthe band can be applied independently of the others and all of thesections may be applied in succession.

in testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afliXedmy signature.

FLOYD C. CAMPBELL.

